LOIMIOHUANCHII. 



65 



broader and encircle the tail. There is a white border to the 

 black caudal fin. 



Had.— P. 16 ; D. about 50 ; A. 2 ; C. 8 or 9. 



Length of the body 177 inch, of the head 046 inch, of the 

 dorsal fin 067 inch, of the tail 2' 17 inches, of the caudal fin 

 024 inch. 



Hamilton's excellent account of the species represents the 

 colour and markings in the following terms. The colour is green 

 on the dorsal aspect, white on the ventral one, with a silvery 

 lustre on the sides. Divers dark lines crossing each other on 

 the back form a network, and on each side a longitudinal stripe 

 is formed by rows of spots. Hamilton procured this fish from 

 the mouths of the Ganges near Calcutta. 



Dr. Bleeker says of his Microphis cuncalus that the body is 

 composed of 22 rings, the tail of 22, and that the dorsal fin 

 stands on S rings, of which two belong to the body. If these 

 numbers are correct, the cuncalus of Bleeker cannot be that ( 

 Hamilton. 



Genus 2. NEROPHIS, Eafinesque (1810). 



Nerophis et Syngnathus, Rqfinesque. 

 Acus, {WiUughby) Swainson (1839). 

 Acestra, Jardine. 



Nematosoma, Eichw. (a term previously used by Koch to desig- 

 nate a genus of Spiders) (1839). 

 Scyphus, Risso (1826). 



Diagn. — Neither pectoral nor anal fin. Body cylindrical, 

 without distinct edges. 



a. Species having a rudimentary caudal fin. 



1. Nerophis anguineus. 



Syngnathus anguineus, Jenyns, Cat. Brit. Vert. 



Yarrell, Brit. Fishes, p. 445, a figure. 

 Syngnathus ophidion, Block, pi. 91. f. 3. (Bloch and his draughts- 

 man have overlooked the caudal fin, none being represented 

 in the figure.) 



Shaw, Gen. Zool. v. p. 453. pi. 179. 



Diagn. — Length of the cylindrical snout equal to the distance 

 between the front of the orbit and the extremity of the gill- 

 plate. Colour uniform. 



